ArthroSteer Steerable Arthroscopy Product Line Announced

Orthodynamix has announced the availability of their ArthroSteer steerable arthroscopy instrument line. During arthroscopy, it is often difficult to get your instruments exactly where one wants them to go because of the tight spaces involved. It is these challenges that Orthodynamix hopes to make less stressful on the surgeon and more effective for the patient.
The tip of the instrument can move 180 degrees side-to-side, and can rotate 360 degrees. What makes these tools unique, however, is that the tip and the bendable spine rotate independently, which allows more precise control and gets the tip exactly where it is supposed to be.
Here’s more info from Orthodynamix:

These instruments incorporate a flexible spine which is controlled via the instrument’s thumb wheel. This thumb wheel allows intuitive spine flexation incorporated with a mechanism that locks the spine in its desired bend. The surgeon controls the bend of the instrument’s spine up to 180 degrees, in one plane, to which the jaw or tip is attached. Further controlling the jaw’s or tip’s orientation in the joint capsule is developed by the capability of rotating them along their axis 360 degrees via a finger wheel. The surgeon controls the jaw’s opening and closing via the handle’s trigger.
Another compelling technology aspect of the punch is that there is sufficient jaw force (approximately 70 lbs) transmitted by the trigger, even with the spine flexed, enabling the surgeon to easily cut through labrum tissue. Moreover, this jaw force is controlled by a unique compression spring preventing the surgeon from applying excess force to the jaw resulting in a possible failure. The trigger will breakaway during higher than required punching force (greater than 75lbs). But, the trigger will set back for continued use.

Currently only the punch and grasper are available, but the coagulator and ablator are soon to be released.
Read the press release here…

Justin Barad is a board eligible pediatric orthopaedic surgeon. He did his fellowship at Boston Children's Hospital in the Harvard Combined Orthopaedic Surgery program and his residency at UCLA. He is currently an innovation fellow at Stanford's Biodesign program. He is also the Founder and CEO of Osso VR, an award-winning surgical simulation company.
His interests include Virtual/Augmented Reality, robotics, surgical navigation and 3D Printing/Scanning, He is always looking to discuss the latest and greatest in medtech. He has been writing for Medgadget about Medical Technology since 2006 and also has several research publications and presentations.